Leg-guard for athletes.



G. L. PIERCE & B.. B. NICKERSON.

LEG GUARD FOR ATHLETES.

APPLIOATION funn H1349, 190e. nmwnwnn 001:13. 190s.

909,21 5. Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

GEORGE L. PIERCE AND RALPH B. NICKERSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO A. G. SPALD'ING & BROS., OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LEG-GUARD FOR ATHLETES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Application filed February 19, 1908, Serial No. 416.779. Renewed October 13, 1908. Serial No. 457,528.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE L. PIERCE, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, of the city of New York, in the State of New York, and RALPH B. NICKERsoN, residing in the borough of Manhattan, of the city of New York, in the State of New York, both citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leg-Guards for Athletes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

It is customary among hockey players and cricket players and the like to wear for the protect-ion of the lower leg what is commonly called a shin guard, the same usually comprising a substantially semi-circular guard of relatively sti or rigid material, suitabl f padded on the inner side and provided with straps and suitable fastening devices for securing it to the leg below the knee. Sometimes such guard or protector is extended upwardly so as to protect the knee to some extent, but such extension is integral with the lower portion of the guard or protector and therefore interferes to some extent with the free movement of the leg, besides failing to properly protect the knee when the knee is flexed.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved leg guard which shall combine both a shin guard and a knee4 guard and shall properly and effectually protect both the shin and the knee without interfering with the free movements of the leg in running, &c. In accordance with the invention the shin guard is formed substantially as heretofore of relatively stiff and rigid material and is connected at its upper end by a flexible section, also suitably padded, with a knee guard of relatively stiffl and rigid material suitably padded interiorly. Both the shin guard and the knee guard are provided with suitable means for securing them in position.

The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which it is illustrated and in which- Figure 1 is a View in elevation showing the improved leg guard in position, the leg being indicated in part by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the guard.

As represented in the drawing the shin guard a may be formed of a sheet of fiber or other relatively stiff and rigid material, and may be provided with pads b and with straps c for securing it in position upon the leg. The knee guard is similarly formed of a sheet Z of fiber or other relatively stid and rigid material, being suitably shaped to protect the knee cap and knee joint and padded interiorly, as at c, and provided with a strap or other means f by which it may be secured in position. The two portions a and d of the improved guard are connected by a soft and flexible section g, preferably of soft leather, which is also padded interiorly, as at h. The flexible section g is relatively short and the leg is therefore but little exposed to injury by blows between the stiff' and rigid sections a and (Z, but it is nevertheless desirable, in order to guard against possibility of injury, that the flexible section g be padded interiorly, so that any chance blow will be cushioned.

It will be seen not only that the improved leg guard affords the desired protection to the shin and to the knee by the sti and stout sections a and el, but that these two sections are united in one structure by the intermediate flexible section g, yet without interference with the free movements of the leg in ruiming, &c.

7e claim as our invention:

1. A leg guard for athletes comprising shin and knee sections of relatively stiff and rigid material, fastening means for securing the same in position upon the leg and an intermediate, relatively flexible section unit ing the two stiff sections.

2. A leg guard for athletes comprising shin and knee sections of relatively stiffI and rigid material padded interiorly, and an intermediate, relatively flexible section uniting the two sti sections and also padded interiorly.

This specification signed and witnessed this 14th day of February, A. D., 1908.

GEORGE L. PIERCE. RALPH B. NICKERSON. Signed in the presence of- W. B. GREELEY, AMBRosE L. OSHEA. 

